Conversation  Circles 

ON 

Winning  Others 

TO 

Christ 


Theodore  S.  Henderson 

ID  I 


INTERCHURCH  WORLD  MOVEMENT 
OF  NORTH  AMERICA 

45  West  18th  Street,  New  York  City 


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Conversation  Circles  on 
Winning  Others 
to  Christ 

Theodore  S.  Henderson 

PURPOSE — The  purpose  of  these  Conversation 
Circles  is  to  assist  every  sincere  and  earnest  dis- 
ciple of  Christ  to  develop  the  art  of  normal, 
natural,  every-day  conversation  with  others 
about  Christ.  This  is  the  imperative  need  of 
the  church,  and  the  necessary  condition  to  a 
genuine  revival. 

PRAYER — All  members  of  the  Circle  should 
have  on  their  personal  prayer  lists  the  names  of 
definite  persons  whom  they  would  win  to  Christ. 
Without  this  kind  of  prayer  no  revival  is  pos- 
sible. 

PEAN — Every  pastor  should  use  this  leaflet  to 
train  his  unit  or  group  leaders  so  that  each 
leader  will  in  turn  train  the  members  of  his  unit 
or  group  to  talk  together  about  Christ,  and  then 
to  talk  to  others  who  are  not  Christians  in  order 
to  win  them  to  Christ.  The  pastor  is  not  to 
preach.  The  leader  is  not  to  consume  time  but 
to  lead  the  conversation.  The  object  is  to  develop 
religious  conversation.  This  leaflet  should  also  be 
used  in  a Sunday  school  board  to  inspire  Sunday 
school  teachers  .to  become  soul  winners.  So  also 
in  every  group  in  the  church. 

Avoid  controversy ; develop  conversation. 

Pray  intensely ; plan  carefully. 

Dare  big  things  for  Christ. 

Despise  not  to  train  one  person. 


Conversation  One 


OUR  RESPONSIBILITY 

1.  God  expects  it.  Acts  1:8. 

Do  you  believe  God  expects  you  to  be  a per- 
sonal witness  for  Christ  in  your  community?  If 
you  have  no  such  conviction  how  do  you  expect 
Christ  to  become  actual  King  in  your  community? 

2.  Gratitude  prompts  it.  Romans  1:14-16. 

How  much  do  you  owe  Jesus  Christ  for  saving 

you?  Do  you  not  owe  to  everybody,  eveiy where, 
everything  Christ  has  done  for  you?  Have  you 
ever  talked  to  others  about  Christ  in  the  same 
way  some  one  once  talked  to  you  about  Him? 

3.  Christ  defeated  without  it.  Luke  19:10. 

Why  did  He  come?  Are  you  personally  help- 
ing Him  to  fulfil  His  mission  to  seek  and  to  save? 
Is  it  possible  for  you  to  believe  in  Him  unless  you 
help  Him  do  His  work? 

4.  We  are  Ambassadors.  II  Corinthians  5:20. 
Do  you  realize  Christ  will  fail  unless  you  are  a 

true  ambassador?  What  does  an  American  am- 
bassador do  in  a foreign  court?  Are  you  doing 
that  sort  of  work  for  Christ  where  you  live? 

Additional  Reading 

1.  Art  of  Soul  Winning.  J.  W.  Mahood.  Study 
II. 

2.  Every  Day  Evangelism.  Bishop  F.  D.  Leete. 
Chapter  XII. 

3.  Individual  Work.  H.  C.  Trumbull.  Chap- 
ter I. 

4.  Practical  Evangelism.  W.  H.  Burgwin. 
Chapter  V. 


CONVEBSATION  TWO 


OUR  ADVANTAGES 

1.  Anybody  can  do  it.  Mark  1:17. 

Do  you  believe  without  reservation  that  a lay- 
man as  well  as  a minister  ought  to  win  others  to 
Christ?  If  you  believe  you  ought  not  to  do  it 
and  can  not  do  it,  what  is  the  reason  for  such 
belief? 

2.  It  can  be  done  anywhere.  Luke  14:12-20. 
Have  you  had  an  idea  that  personal  work 

means  approaching  people  in  public  religious 
meetings?  If  so,  why  not  correct  that  false  idea 
at  once?  Have  you  tried  the  method  suggested 
in  this  scripture  by  going  to  the  people  where 
they  are? 

3.  Any  time  is  God’s  time.  John  4:35. 

Have  you  ever  been  tempted  to  omit  talking 
with  others  about  Christ  because  you  thought  it 
was  not  the  right  time?  Why  is  it  reasonable  to 
expect  all  real  Christians  to  give  time  to  this 
work? 

4.  God  guarantees  cooperation.  Matthew  27:18-20. 
Are  you  fearful  that  you  will  fail  in  your 

honest  effort  to  win  others?  Are  you  fully  per- 
suaded God  will  make  good  His  promise,  “I  am 
with  you”? 

Additional  Reading 

1.  Taking  Men  Alive.  C.  G.  Trumbull.  Chap- 
ter I. 

2.  Every  Church  Its  Own  Evangelist.  L.  M. 
Edwards.  Chapter  III. 

3.  Individual  Work.  H.  C.  Trumbull.  Chap- 
ter I. 


Conversation  Three 


OUR  OPPORTUNITIES 

1.  At  Home.  John  1:35-42. 

Why  does  it  seem  so  hard  to  talk  with  our  home 
folks  about  Christ?  Has  every  parent  in  the 
circle  talked  definitely  with  son  or  daughter  about 
their  definite  relation  to  Christ?  Can  children 
win  their  parents  to  Christ? 

2.  In  Business.  Luke  5:27-32. 

Can  a business  man  respect  another  business 
man’s  Christianity  when  that  Christian  business 
man  is  not  doing  definite  business  for  Jesus 
Christ? 

Do  you  still  believe  that  old  heathen  heresy  that 
a business  man  “must  not  mix  religion  and  busi- 
ness” ? 

3.  In  Social  Circles.  Luke  7:36-50. 

Why  do  we  hesitate  to  introduce  Christ  to  our 
social  set?  Do  you  know  Christ's  choicest  words, 
like  John  14  were  spoken  at  a banquet? 

4.  Among  strangers.  John  4:7-30. 

Have  you  noticed  how  naturally  Christ  talked 
about  God  in  terms  of  “thirst”  and  “water”?  Do 
you  think  that  this  stranger  would  have  been  in- 
terested in  Christ  if  he  had  not  been  interested 
in  what  she  was  doing? 

A dditional  Reading 

1.  Soul  Winners  Secrets.  G.  W.  Oliver.  Chap- 
ters IX-X. 

2.  Every  Church  Its  Own  Evangelist.  L.  M. 
Edwards.  Chapters  III-IV. 


Conversation  Four 


OUR  HINDRANCES 

1.  Personal  Inconsistencies.  Matthew  18:7-9. 

What  personal  hindrances  do  I need  to  over- 
come? Do  I need  any  surgical  operation  on  an 
offending  hand  or  foot  or  eye?  Is  it  worth  what 
it  will  cost  me  to  cut  deep  in  order  to  cure? 

2.  Cowardice.  Matthew  10:32-33. 

Why  am  I so  afraid  to  speak  to  others  about 
Christ?  How  can  I get  the  boldness  described 
in  Acts  4:29-31?  Ought  I not  to  do  my  duty 
to  Christ  even  if  my  courage  is  weak? 

3.  Crosses  are  heavy.  Acts  20:17-27. 

How  can  the  work  be  easy  if  Christ  is  right  in 
Luke  9:23?  Would  it  be  worth  while  if  it 
were  easy?  Are  you  personally  ready  for  the 
dedication,  the  determination,  and  the  declaration 
of  Acts  20:24? 

4.  Lack  of  knowledge.  II  Timothy  2:15. 

Have  you  the  personal  knowledge  involved  in 
the  statement  in  John  9:25? 

Do  you  believe  the  promise  in  James  1:5? 

Are  you  ready  to  test  Philippians  4:19? 

Are  you  willing  to  take  Christ  as  your  teacher? 

Additional  Reading 

1.  Taking  Men  Alive.  C.  G.  Trumbull.  Chap- 
ter IV. 

2.  Quiet  Talks  on  Service.  S.  D.  Gordon. 
Chapter  IV. 


Conversation  Five 


OUR  EQUIPMENT 

1.  Right  relation  to  Christ.  Matthew  6:33. 
What  is  the  supreme  ambition  of  your  life? 

Would  you  rather  win  another  life  to  Christ  than 
be  rich?  Or  popular?  Or  powerful?  Have  you 
actually  put  “Christ  first  in  your  life”? 

2.  Personal  spiritual  victory.  I Corinthians 
9:27. 

If  I am  not  an  overcomer  as  described  in  Ro- 
mans 8:37,  how  can  1 help  others  to  be  con- 
querors? Am  I determined  to  square  my  con- 
versation for  Christ  by  my  consecration  to 
Christ? 

3.  Faith  revealed  by  work.  Mark  2:1-12. 

Was  it  the  faith  of  the  paralytic  or  the  faith  of 
his  friends  which  attracted  Christ?  If  every  four 
people  in  your  church  would  bring  one  to  Christ 
how  many  converts  would  be  secured?  What  are 
you  doing  now  to  help  bring  one? 

4.  Persistence  born  of  love.  Galatians  6:9. 
What  is  the  difference  between  perseverance  and 

nagging?  Why  do  we  so  quickly  become  dis- 
couraged in  our  work  to  win  others?  How  is 
it  possible  for  you  to  practise  I Corinthians  9:22, 
23,  in  your  community? 

Additional  Reading 

1.  Practical  Evangelism.  W.  H.  Burgwin. 
Chapter  I. 

2.  Every  Church  Its  Own  Evangelist.  L.  M. 
Edwards.  Chapter  VI. 

3.  Taking  Men  Alive.  C.  G.  Trumbull.  Chap- 
ter VII. 


No.  384.SK.  II. 75.  Feb.  1920. 


